


The Boy Outside

by kenzieann27



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), M/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27174355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenzieann27/pseuds/kenzieann27
Summary: While begrudgingly working on homework with Richie, Stan has an unexpected visitor.
Relationships: Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Mike Hanlon/Richie Tozier, Richie Tozier & Stanley Uris
Comments: 2
Kudos: 40





	The Boy Outside

"Are you alright, Stan?"

The curly-haired teen looked up from his place on the bed, searching around the room until he found the source of the question, Richie, as he laid on the floor.

"I'm fine, sorry, I just- what was the question?"

It was a well-known fact that math had never been Richie's strongest subject, despite being one of the smartest students in his grade; he always said it was due to Stan's tutoring that he wasn't failing the subject, though Stan thought he just liked coming over to bother him when he should be reading or studying or doing virtually anything else.

It wasn't that he _disliked_ Richie's company, but Stan reasoned that spending eight hours a day with his overactive mess of a best friend was quite enough.

Richie rolled his eyes as he repeated the question- story problem, of course, as those were the ones that he usually had the most problem with- giving Stan a few minutes to wrap his mind around what he was supposed to be solving.

"You've been weird lately, you know that?"

"Richie, I'm trying to do something here," he shook his head, biting his lip as he was working the problem out on the notebook in his lap.

"You're avoiding the question, dude."

"I didn't know I was supposed to answer a rhetorical question."

Richie smirked, always loving Stan's hilariously humorless responses. "You being weird wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you and Bill had that fight last week, would it?"

"No, it wouldn't," Stan replied flatly, glancing down at Richie. "I don't know how I'm acting weird. Maybe it's because people keep asking me why I'm being weird when they should know it's just annoying the shit out of me."

"C'mon, Stanny," Richie whined. "Things have been so _boring_ lately. I need some drama in my life."

"It was just a stupid argument because he had gotten me some almond candy, alright? Everyone knows I'm allergic to it but he said he forgot and I said it was fine but he overreacted and it's pissing me off. It's not why I am acting weird- I'm not acting weird. I'm just tired because people just won't leave me alone."

"To be honest, I thought you were acting all touchy 'cause he wasn't getting in your pants or something," Richie shrugged, a bit disappointed by the somewhat boring response he got out of Stan.

"I'm not gay, Richie."

Though it had been two years since Stan had, in fact, realized he _was_ gay, it was still a foreign subject to the fragile sixteen-year-old. So foreign that he wasn't about to go around coming out to everyone he knew, especially not to Derry's resident blabbermouth, even if Richie was the only other gay kid in town that he had known of at the time when he first realized it.

Richie would ask questions, too many questions, and Stan would rather die on the spot than admit that his very first crush was on his best friend.

"Yeah, yeah," Richie muttered, wanting to believe Stan about his feelings about his sexuality, but he couldn't help but have his suspicions. Straight kids didn't look at other straight kids the way that Stan looked at Bill, that's for sure. "Still, you could have at least come up with a better story than that."

"Oh, sure. I'm being totally weird because I got my arm blown off in the war. Is that what you want to hear?"

"Your sarcasm wounds me, Staniel," Richie feigned offense at Stan's statement, smiling as he tossed his notebook at him.

"If you weren't talking so much, I would've gotten it figured out much sooner."

"Yeah, well, what are you gonna do?"

"Stop letting you come over to my house when I should be sleeping," Stan replied, clicking the pen in his hand in groups of three.

"You do realize it's, like, ten-thirty, right? And it's a Friday?" Richie shook his head, growing confused as he tried to figure out how Stan worked through the troublesome math problem. "You should be out on a date or something, having a good time. Doing basically anything _but_ this."

"So, it's only okay for _you_ to do boring shit on Fridays? Last time I checked, Richie, you're here sitting in my room, too."

"But you do this _every_ weekend, Stan. God knows I'd rather be out with Mike right now instead of figuring out how much fencing Penelope needs for her hexagon-shaped garden. Who the fuck even builds a garden like that? Just- use a fucking tape measure, Penelope!"

"Well, when you're able to sit still and pay attention in class, maybe you won't need to come over here, and then you'll be able to go out and stick your tongue down Mike's throat as much as you'd like," Stan said, slightly grimacing at the thought. 

"When you find yourself a nice guy to be with, Stan, I'm sure you'll want to do the same exact thing. Actually, you strike me more as someone that acts all prissy and shit but you're really just _dying_ to-"

"I'm not letting you finish that sentence," Stan interrupted, annoyance growing on his face as he took in Richie's words. "And I already told you, Richie, I'm not-"

"Stanley!" A voice called out, piquing Richie's interest and causing Stan's face to grow pale.

Richie stumbled as he crawled onto Stan's bed, smiling when he looked out the window to find the source of the voice that had called Stan's name. Stan himself, though somewhat interested in the commotion, only wished that he could melt into the pillows below him if it kept him from the conversation that was inevitably coming.

"Are you sure Billiam isn't trying to get in your pants, Stan?" Richie asked, that stupid lopsided grin on his face.

"Richie, l-l-let me talk to S-Stan."

"He wants to talk to you."

"I have ears, Richie," Stan said, reaching over to close the window, though Richie caught his wrist before he was able to do so. "I don't want to talk to him."

"Just listen to him, dude," Richie smiled before whispering, "he's so stupid when he's desperate."

Scoffing, Stan looked out the window, watching as Bill's face lit up at the sight of him. "Stan, I'm so s-s-sorry."

"Told you so," Richie whispered, moving to sit in what used to be Stan's spot.

"Bill, I told you, I don't care," Stan called, somewhat glad his bedroom was on the second floor. If he was as desperate as Richie claimed him to be, Stan wouldn't have put it past him to have just climbed through his window in an attempt to apologize. "You just wanted to do something nice and you forgot that I have allergies, it's fine."

"I j-just wanted to apologize," Bill continued, bending down to reach into his backpack. "I wanted t-to be s-s-subtle, but-"

"Bill, do you even know what subtle means?" Stan asked flatly, causing Richie to burst into laughter. "I appreciate the apology, I do. I'm frustrated because everyone keeps making a big deal out of it. I'm frustrated, yeah, but I'd like it much better if you guys just left me alone to get over it by myself."

"And Stanley's trying something new, folks," Richie mumbled to himself. "Playing hard to get- very risky for the inexperienced Staniel."

"I g-got you something," Bill said, holding up a small wrapped package. "How d-do I-"

"Just toss it up here," Stan smiled, leaning out of the window and holding his hands out. "I think you guys tend to forget I _am_ on the baseball team."

"He's a pitcher," Richie continued, nudging Stan with his foot. "If his sense of humor was more developed, folks, he'd be able to use the opportunity to point out the fact that he is very obviously not a _pitcher_ , if you catch my drift."

"Richie." Stan said sternly, glancing over at his friend before turning his attention back to the boy outside. "Go ahead, Bill."

Taking a few steps closer to the house, Bill tossed the package in the air, smiling when Stan caught it firmly in his hands. "I h-hope you'll l-l-like it, Stan," he called out, picking up his bike off the ground

Leaning back into his room, Stan smiled as he tore the paper, looking over the hardcover book before turning back to the window. "I've never had a hardcover ornithology book before. Thank you, Bill. It's a wonderful gift."

"I was w-w-wondering if you w-wanted to get some ice c-cream tomorrow?" Bill blurted out, looking up nervously at Stan. "We can go b-b-birdwatching after, if you'd like to, with your new b-book."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the offer has been made," Richie said, watching Stan expectantly as he furrowed his eyebrows as he thought.

"Is four o'clock okay?" Stan asked, smiling softly as Bill nodded in response. "I would go earlier, but it's Saturday."

"I understand, S-Stan," Bill said, giving him a small wave as he hopped on his bike. "Thank y-you for talking to me. Tell R-Richie I said hello."

"You know he heard everything you said," Stan said, rolling his eyes as he leaned back inside and closed the window.

"Can Mike and I join you guys tomorrow?" Richie asked, a large smile on his face. "You know, we can make it a double date."

"Oh my God," Stan muttered, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. "Shut up, Richie."

**Author's Note:**

> come yell at me on tumblr! @kenzie-ann27


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